Culture · 5 min read
What hanami is
Hanami has been part of Japanese life for over a thousand years, starting with court poetry parties in the Heian period. Today it is a social ritual: companies, families and friends gather on blue tarps in parks to eat, drink and watch the petals fall.
Evening hanami, called yozakura, is just as popular. Many parks light up their trees after dark.
What to bring
A picnic sheet or tarp, sold at any convenience store or 100 yen shop.
Bento boxes, onigiri, karaage and seasonal sweets like sakura mochi and hanami dango.
Drinks, a warm layer for the evening and a bag for your rubbish, since public bins are rare.
Saving a spot
In popular parks such as Ueno and Yoyogi, people arrive early in the morning on weekends to lay out tarps. On weekdays you can usually find room by late morning. Smaller neighborhood parks are calmer and often just as pretty.
Etiquette and rules
Never shake branches or pick flowers. Take all your rubbish home or use the temporary bins parks set up. Some parks ban alcohol, barbecues or tarps in certain areas, and Shinjuku Gyoen does not allow alcohol at all, so check the rules before you go.
Keep noise reasonable, especially at night, and use the public toilets rather than the bushes.